Electric heating system



Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 15, 1917.

. Patented Apr. 27, 1920. Z

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

JOHN S. MCWI'IIRTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1928.

Application filed November 15, 1917. Serial No. 202,141.

To all 107mm it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN S. MolVHIR'rER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Electric Heating Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric heating systems and particularly to such systems employed in street cars, trains or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an electric heating system which is simple, efficient and economical in operation and whereby the loss of current due to leaving the heating system in operation through inadvertence or neglect is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for insuring the rendering of an electric heating system inoperative when the control of the car, train, or the like is removed.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for insuring the opening of the electric heating circuit in electrically op-' erated cars, trains or the like, when the control lever of the moter man is removed.

Further objects of the invention will ap pear more fully hereinafter.

'l he invention consists substantially in the construction, combination, location and relative arrangement of parts, all, as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown by the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing Figure l is a diagrammatic view of an electric heating system embodying he features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified arrangement.

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a form of reversing cylinder control employed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. at is a sectional view taken on the line l, at, Fig. 3 and looking in the direction ofthe arrows.

The same part is designated by the same reference numeral wherever it occurs throughout the several views. J

In street car or train systems and particularly in such systems which employ electrically operated heating apparatus for heating the cars in the winter time, it is the custom, to prevent the waste of current, to instruct the conductors or motormen to open the switch controlling the heating apparatus,

when the car is idle, for example when the car is laid up in the barns for night, for repairs, or the like. Due to inadvertence, neglect or carelessness it frequently happens however, that the motor-men or conductors fail to open the heating switch when the car is laid up, thereby leaving the heating system in operation so that the current is wasted in heating a vacant and stored car.

It is the usual and general custom when a car is laid up or stored over night, for repairs, or the like, for the motorman to remove his control and reversing handle or lever. It is among the special purposes of my present invention to provide means in connection with the controller of the car, whereby when the handle or lever is removed the circuit of the heating system is thereby broken, regardless of whether or not the main switch of the heating system is opened.

For thepurposes of illustrating my pres ent invention 1 show in Fig. 3 what is known in the art as a reversing cylinder 1 of the usual well known construction. T he particular type or form control is not involved in this present invention and consequently the details of construction thereof will not be dea t with in detail except to state that the cylinder is operated in the usual and well known manner by a removable handle which fits the shaft 2 thereof and which may be applier. thereto or removed therefrom only when the cylinder is in its neutral position. The controlling handle is applied to the shaft 2 and is turned to either the forward position or to the reverse position, which automatically locks the handle in place so that the handle cannot be removed until the cylinder is again removed to its neutral posh tion. As shown in Figs. 3 and at the cylinder is in its normal running or forward position, the usual latch device indicated at 3, engaging the notch at, in the forward position.

In accordance with my invention, I mount on the reversing cylinder, a conducting strip i also mount on the frame of the car 2, conducting strips 6 and T insulated from each other and normally bearing against the cylinder 1. It will be seen that when the cylinder is turned to its forward position, the conducting strip establishes electrical connection between the strips 6 and in the circuit of the heating system so that ward position, the circuit of said system is opened.

In Fig. 2 I show a simple application of the invention wherein 8 indicates the main heating circuit switch which opens and closes the main line 9. The resistance of the heater is indicated at 10 so that assuming the switch 8 to. be closed, current flows from the line 9 through the heating apparatus to one strip 6, and when the cylinder 1, indicated diagrammatically in the figure, is turned out of its neutral position, the conducting strip establishes the circuit between the contacts 6 andf, and the current then flows through wire 11 to ground. In this figure, I show too, cylinders 1, con nected in parallel indicating the control cylinder at each end of the car. If desired, and as shown, blow-out coils 12 may be employed to blow out the are which might be caused when the cylinder 1 is rotated to break the connection between the contacts 6 and 7.

At the present time what is known as the thermometer control of electric heaters is employed extensively in electric railway work, and in Fig. 1, I show the application of my invention to a system of this nature. In this system current enters line 9 and when the switch 8 is closed goes through line 13 to the contact 6 and across the contact 5 of the cylinder which is turned from its neutral position to contact 7, wire 1%, through a resistance 15, through coil 16, and contacts 21 to ground 18. The coil 16, which is known as a holding coil, attracts the armature 19 to establish circuit connections between the contact 20 and the armature 19, whereby current will flow from the line 9, through the heating apparatus indicated at to armature 19, contact and thence to ground. If the thermostatic control of this system is utilized, the thermostat is connected across the terminals 21 as indicated. If the thermostat is not to be used in this system, however, the circuit across the contacts 21 is maintained as indicated by the dotted lines.

While I have described my invention as controlling the heating system circuit by the car reversing controller, my invention is not to be limited or restricted in this respect as other contact controlling devices can be utilized to accomplish the same result. And further, while I have shown the circuit completed only when the reversing cylinder is in its forward position, it is obvious that any other position may be utilized, the essential feature being that the turning of the cylinder to allow the removal of the handle of the cylinder operates to thereby open the circuit of the heating system.

Having now set forth the objects and nature of my invention, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an. electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, a car reversing controller and means whereby the heating circuit is closed only when said reversing controller is in its normal running position.

2. In an electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, a pair of separated contacts included in said circuit, a car reversing controller, and means whereby said circuit is closed between said contacts only when said reversing controller is in its normal running position.

3. In an electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, a pair of separated contacts included in said circuit, a car reversing controller, a conductor strip carried by said controller and operating to bridge the space between said contacts only when the reversing controller is in its normal running position.

a. In an electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, means to close said circuit, a circuit for said closing means, a car reversing controller, and means for closing said last mentioned circuit only when the car reversing controller is in normal running position.

5. In an electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, electrical means to control said circuit, an auxiliary circuit for said electrical means, including separated contacts, a car reversing controller, and means to close the circuit between said contacts only when said car reversing controller is in normal running position.

6. In an electric heating system for cars, an electric heater, a circuit therefor, electrical means to control said circuit, an auxiliary circuit for said electrical means, a controlling resistance in said auxiliary circuit, a car reversing controller, and means for closing said auxiliary circuit only when said ear reversing controller is in running position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 7th day of November, A.

JOHN s. MCWHIRTER. 

